Hope for inquest after Westminster debate

THE brother of a woman who died following a routine operation at a private hospital

is hopeful a police investigation will be launched after the case was debated in

Parliament.

Carmel Bloom, who was 54 and lived in Snakes Lane East in Woodford Green, died after

an operation to remove a kidney stone at the BUPA (now Spire) Roding Hospital in

2002.

Her brother, Bernard, of High Road, Chigwell, has spent the past nine years and more

than 1 million trying to establish how she died.

Lee Scott, MP for Carmel's constituency, Ilford North, debated the circumstances

surrounding her death with health minister Anne Milton MP in Westminster Hall in the

Houses of Parliament on Tuesday.

Mr Bloom, 59, said: "It went so well in so far as Lee Scott articulated the pain and

the suffering our family has had to endure while we've been unable to get closure

over this.

"Lee went through each stage over the last nine years. I know the case inside out but

just hearing it read out like that was horrifying.

"The hope is that this will put pressure on the police to launch an investigation

into Carmel's death."

In February 2010, two doctors involved in Ms Bloom's care – consultant John Hines

and anaesthetist Dr Paul Timmis – were allowed to continue practising despite

admitting several failings to the General Medical Council (GMC).

Last month Mr Bloom met assistant attorney-general Kevin McGinty to request a fifth

inquest into his sister's death, raising the prospect of having her body exhumed, and

is waiting to hear back within the next few weeks.

Mr Scott said: "I want the family to get closure and justice and I'm just trying to

help them in any small way that I can.

"We got a positive response from the minister. She has agreed to meet me again and to

look into matters for me."